Water line breaks in Old Town on a busy holiday weekend

A water line broke in Old Town on Sunday, interrupting service to a small section of the neighborhood and requiring the Park City Water Department to respond with heavy machinery during a busy holiday weekend.

Kyle MacArthur, the water distribution manager, said the department received a report at approximately 3 p.m. that water was running down Park Avenue from the intersection with Heber Avenue. The Streets Department responded with sandbags. None of the water froze, MacArthur said.

The Water Department at approximately 4:30 p.m. shut down water service on Park Avenue and Woodside Avenue between Heber Avenue and 15th Street. MacArthur said the department rerouted the water system at the location, restoring service by 5:30 p.m. to each address except a triplex on the 600 block of Park Avenue, at the Heber Avenue intersection. Service was not restored to the triplex until Monday morning.

MacArthur said the repair crew found a shear-like crack in an eight-inch diameter underground water line. The crack was discovered underneath Heber Avenue across the street from the front door of the building where the Kimball Art Center was once located, he said.

Heavy machinery excavated to the water line. The crews on Monday replaced a section of line measuring between six and eight feet in length. MacArthur said the line dates to either the 1960s or the 1980s. He said the crack was a result of the line aging. MacArthur said other utility lines buried in the same location complicated the repairs. The repairs were finished by approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

The Water Department was not immediately sure how much water was lost in the break.

Rick Ryan, a Park City Police Department captain, said an officer on patrol made the initial report. The officer noticed water surfacing from beneath the sidewalk and the street, Ryan said.

One lane of travel was initially closed to traffic on Park Avenue and Heber Avenue close to the site. The police later shut down the Heber Avenue-Park Avenue intersection and the intersection of Park Avenue and 7th Street. The diverted traffic flowed without major backups, Ryan said. Some traffic restrictions remained in place Monday afternoon.

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